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Pac-10 Up For Grabs in 2009—And For the Record, USC is Not Invincible

2009-09-02T04:00:00.018-04:00

Written by HD Handshoe
Founder—College Football Crack House
Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com

In recent years, USC has stumbled in-conference and squandered away several opportunities to play in the BCS title game.

In 2006, it was a 13-9 "road" loss to 7-6 UCLA.

In 2007, it was the 24-23 home loss to 40-point underdog Stanford.

In 2008, it was the 27-21 road loss to upstart underdog Oregon State.

ESPN for one, has consistently forgiven and dismissed these losses, and has even referred to them as tiny "hiccups".

Are you @#$&%^&* kidding me?

Not to get off on a rant here, but ESPN did the same thing in 2008 when Florida surprisingly lost to Mississippi, 31-30, on their home field no less, calling it a hiccup as well, and everyone went on their merry way like it never happened.

UF won their final eight games, eventually climbed back to the top of the polls, and played for, and won the BCS title, but I digress.

For the first time in several years, the Pac-10 is going to better at the top this year with several good teams other than just USC.

I think this young USC team could lose up to 5 games this year, not that I am saying or convinced that they will—but it is at the very least a possibility.

Games USC could struggle in and possibly lose this year are:

9/12 @ Ohio State

10/3 @ Cal

10/17 @ Notre Dame

10/24 vs. Oregon State

10/31 @ Oregon

That's a pretty tall order, especially the four road games—but even the home game, versus a Beaver squad that blew up USC's top defense last year, is losable.

Remember, Ohio State had 18 very talented starters back last year and were supposed to be BCS title contenders, but went 10-3 instead.

Nothing is guaranteed for any team, no matter what the expectations are.

This 2009 USC team will not be as good as that Buckeyes 2008 team in my opinion either, but we'll see if I'm right or if I'm just a crackhead over the next month or two.

Either way, if the Trojans lose three or more games, I wonder if ESPN will still find a way to forgive them all.

As far as body functions go, if one loss for USC is just a hiccup, would a second, third, and fourth loss be labeled as a belch and two wet farts?

Help, I've sharded and I can't get up.

Fight on?

Now LSU Fans Can Do More Than Love Les Miles—They Can Smell Like Him Too!

2009-08-29T14:52:00.008-04:00

Article by Larry Burton
Senior College Football Writer and Featured Columnist
BleacherReport.com

Their ad begins, "A signature scent for the LSU man—let yourself unwind and enjoy the lush serenity of the Louisiana State University campus."

Think I'm making it up? You can see it here.

Somehow, I think this company has it all wrong. They try to convince me that LSU smells like Frozen Basil, Calabrian Bergamot, Armoise, and Indonesian Vetiver, whatever that is.

Not only do those smells have nothing to do with LSU, but 99 percent of LSU's fanbase has never heard of them, smelled them, or could even spell them (no insult intended; I'm a writer, and I fall into that group as well).

As a result, I wrote the company today and told them that in order to capture the essence of LSU, they had to capture the essence of Les Miles.

Wafting scents of baseball cap headband sweat mix with undertones of corn dog. Add in a little Cajun seasoning, and you have Les in a bottle.

Then, with just a splash or two, you can really smell like a real LSU man.

To complete the effect, however, these scents must be mixed with an ether base to cause that same lightheaded, crazy effect that is Les Miles.

Now you can smell and act just like the real man of LSU.

Now, I wonder what the ladies' fragrance is like: cherry lip gloss scent, bourbon, and crab boil?

With my advice and their slick marketing, it's just a matter of time until EVERY college has its signature scent.

Tennessee has theirs out already. In honor of not just Lane Kiffin, but also the crowds in the stands squeezing into the smallest seats in the SEC, the scents are baby powder (for Kiffin), B.O. (from the crowded stands), and Jack Daniels.

At only $60 for a whopping 3.4 ounces, there's hardly a better deal out there to part you from your hard-earned dollars.

Act today. I'm sure supplies are limited.

Two Tickets to Paradise: College Football's 2009 Bowl Projections

2009-08-25T20:02:00.006-04:00

Article by BabyTate
Senior College Football Writer and Featured Columnist
BleacherReport.com

Of all the subjects in college football, the most interesting must be the bowl games at the end of the regular season.

The reasons are many, but most importantly, it settles the National Championship.

Others may feel a trip to an exotic location to cheer on one's team is a thrill without equal in sports.

The five great bowls of the pre-World War II era are still with us. The Rose, Sugar, Cotton, Sun, and Orange have supplied so many memories, kept alive by the passing down of lore through generations.

The Cold War era gave us three terrific bowls with the coming of the Gator in 1946, the Tangerine in 1947, and the Liberty in 1959.

This trio continues to provide thrills and suspense decades later. The Tangerine changed its name after 1982, eventually becoming the Capital One Bowl.

The Liberty left Philadelphia after 1963, ultimately settling in Memphis after a one-year hiatus in Atlantic City.

Over the years, some old names have been resurrected, such as the Poinsettia, the Peach, and the Alamo. The current bowls with those names bear little resemblance to the predecessors.

The arrival of the Fiesta Bowl in 1971 and the BCS Championship Game in 2007 are testimony to the ability of bowl committees to create a successful product of great interest if the need exists.

Big money is the central figure in the bowl games of this time. The bigger the payout, the better the bowl. Or is it?

With some conferences sharing equally in postseason payouts, the subject of location becomes a more important issue. Will the fans follow the team to faraway locations?

Does the fanbase “travel well?” This actually means, will the fans follow the team and spend money in the local economy?

Another matter that will arise this season is, who is going to put their name down in the history book as the first teams to play in the new Cotton Bowl in its nearly unbelievable setting of Jerry Jones' stadium?

With this incredible location and unequaled atmosphere, there can be little doubt the Cotton Bowl will shortly return to its rightful place at the pinnacle of the postseason.

Submitted for your approval and enjoyment, a summertime look at the million-dollar payout bowls for the 2009 season.

1. BCS Title Game: Texas vs. Florida

2. Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. California

3. Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Southern California

4. Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. Boise State

5. Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh

6. Cotton Bowl: Alabama vs. Nebraska

7. Capital One (Citrus) Bowl: Georgia vs. Penn State

8. Outback (Hall of Fame) Bowl: Ole Miss vs. Illinois

9. Gator Bowl: Ga Tech vs. West Virginia

10. Chick-fil-A (Peach) Bowl: Florida State vs. Tennessee

11. Champs Sports (Blockbuster) Bowl: Miami vs. Iowa

12. Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Michigan State

13. Holiday Bowl: Oregon vs. Kansas

14. Sun Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Arizona

15. Liberty Bowl: Southern Miss vs. Arkansas

16. Music City Bowl: Vanderbilt vs. N.C. State

17. Insight (Copper) Bowl: Arizona State vs. Wisconsin

18. Independence Bowl: Auburn vs. Texas Tech

19. Las Vegas (California Raisin) Bowl: Texas Christian vs. Oregon State

20. St. Petersburg Bowl: South Florida vs. Tulsa

21. EagleBank Bowl: Maryland vs. East Carolina (Army will not qualify)

22. Meineke Bowl: Clemson vs. Rutgers

So there we have it, a breakdown of the 22 bowls with a million dollars or more as the payout.

Now realistically, who would give up all of this for a playoff that determines a champion?

Not the colleges raking in the “do-re-mi” year after year while going 6-6 on the season.

You can bank on that.

View the original article on B/R by clicking here.

Updated—Way Too Early College Football 2009 Preseason Top Ten

2009-05-11T02:50:00.008-04:00

Written by HD Handshoe
Founder—College Football Crack House
Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com

So, you want to know who the top college football teams will be in 2009, do you?

You came to the right guy! I ranked the teams as objectively as I could based on their success last season and on what they have in their respective personnel cupboards heading into 2009.

Call me Mel Kiper Jr if you wish because like Kiper, I'm changing my top ten up just a bit from my original list that appeared here a couple months back.

Of course, Kiper changes his mock draft every couple hours and players go from top five to barely in the first round, causing me to seriously question his knowledge and credibility, but, that's another article for another time!

Nothing so drastic will appear here. I will just list my top ten and let the readers debate and decide if I'm right. Which of course, I know I am!

In fact, I am no less than 5% confident that 100% of those who read this article will agree with me 45% of the time, so here we go!

I've included each teams final 2008 W/L record.

No. 10 - LSU (8-5)

No. 9 - Penn State (11-2)

No. 8 - Virginia Tech (10-4)

No. 7 - Ole Miss (9-4)

No. 6 - Ohio State (10-3)

No. 5 - Oklahoma State (9-4)

No. 4 - USC (12-1)

No. 3 - Oklahoma (12-2)

No. 2 - Texas (12-1)

No. 1 - Florida (13-1)

A few others close, but just outside of my preseason top ten:

Alabama, Oregon, Boise State, California, and Georgia Tech

That's it! That's my list!

Now, let me know what you guys think!

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Georgia Football—Where Misdemeanors and Felonies Happen

2009-05-09T15:13:00.003-04:00

Written by HD Handshoe
Founder—College Football Crack House
Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com

Deja vu anyone?

Deja vu anyone?

Looks like the 2009 offseason might repeat itself all over again for the Thugs. Whoops, I mean Dawgs.

UGASports.com reported three Georgia football players will start the 2009 season on suspension, though the University did not confirm the suspensions Thursday.

Tight end Bruce Figgins, defensive end Justin Houston and wide receiver Tony Wilson would each be suspended for an undetermined period after violating team rules, according to the website.

"Well, here's the deal on that," Georgia head coach Mark Richt said to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Thursday night. "At the appropriate time, I will make any announcement that needs to be made - if there is any announcement that needs to be made."

You may recall that in the 2008 offseason, UGA challenged the Cincinnati Bengals for arrests and suspensions.

Here's a recap:

In January, cornerback Donovan Baldwin and fullback Fred Munzenmaier were arrested for alcohol-related offenses. Baldwin was arrested on DUI charges, while Munzenmaier was arrested for underage consumption and suspended for one game.

In May, freshman offensive lineman Clint Boling was arrested because he was pulled over for driving recklessly and he refused to take a breathalyzer test. He has been suspended for one game.

In early June, defensive end Jeremy Lomax, was pulled over for speeding and having a concealed firearm under his driver's seat.

On June 27, sophomore offensive linemen Trinton Sturdivant and Justin Anderson were charged with a misdemeanor of simple battery after touching a girl inappropriately. It was reported that they had been drinking. Their punishments were handled "internally."

On June 28, sophomore defensive lineman Michael Lemon punched Demarius Jackson multiple times in the face, fracturing the victim's left eye socket. Lemon was charged with a felony and was kicked off of the team. He was arrested again the next morning for underage consumption.

On Aug. 2, junior long-snapper Jeff Henson, who had previously been charged with a DUI in November, became the eighth Georgia player arrested that offseason. He was arrested for public intoxication and urinating in public. He was suspended from the team.

Also on Aug. 2, defensive back Donovan Baldwin and linebacker Marcus Dotwin were hospitalized after a brawl. Following the incident, Richt dismissed Baldwin from the team because it was his second incident this offseason.

While visiting Baldwin and Dotwin in the hospital, junior linebacker Darius Dewberry decided to vandalize a parking lot control arm and plant container pots causing a whopping $2100 in estimated damages. He became the sixth player that was either suspended or booted off of the team when Richt suspended him for the first two games of the year.

These UGA players sure do like keeping campus area Police from eating their donuts in peace!

On a positive note, Georgia will not be the No. 1 team when the AP Preseason Poll is released so without that spotlight, maybe these player problems will fade from the headlines a little faster, even though they most likely won't stop happening.

It's tempting to overlook certain flaws a kid might have off the field because he's extremely talented on the field and I know a coaching staff can't babysit these guys 24/7, but they have to do a better job of evaluating the character of a potential recruit.

If not, these bad seeds will continue to deliver more "black eyes" to their program.

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The Way Too Early 2009 Heisman Watch—Ten Names To Know: Part I

2009-04-18T09:36:00.008-04:00

Written by HD Handshoe
Founder—College Football Crack House
Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com

The following are the first five of ten players I feel have the most legitimate chance to win the 2009 Heisman Trophy if they each meet expectations and live up to their full potential in the coming season!

Jevan Snead, QB, Ole Miss

Ole Miss should win a lot of games and will likely be high in the rankings all year long. Snead emerged out of nowhere after leading the Rebels to their huge upset win over the Florida Gators in the swamp.

He threw 13 interceptions a year ago, but with a favorable 2009 schedule (Memphis, SE Louisiana, at South Carolina, at Vanderbilt, Alabama, UAB, Arkansas, at Auburn (who’s still reloading), Northern Arizona, Tennessee, LSU, and Mississippi State), Snead's stats should resemble those of the top three vote-getters of last year's Heisman voting.

Almost all of Mississippi's tough games are at home, and there will be just enough nationally televised moments for Snead to shine.

Todd Reesing, QB, Kansas

The Big 12 North division’s spotlight game will be Nebraska at Kansas on Nov. 14. By then, Todd Reesing and the Jayhawks will have already played Oklahoma at home and will have gone on the road to face Texas Tech, and there will still be games against Texas and Missouri to follow.

There won't be a shortage of moments where Reesing will have the opportunity to make a Heisman statement and put up the big numbers needed to get in the race.

With Dezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier returning after combining for 189 catches for 2,452 yards and 23 touchdowns, this should be a huge year for the KU passing game.

They have a killer schedule and I'm not sure they'll win enough of those games for Reesing to be a serious contender, but that's probably why he's going to put up the big numbers in the first place—by playing catch-up!

Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame

Clausen will have the Notre Dame spotlight and a decent receiving corps to put up the numbers and the wins to be in the hunt for the big prize.

He ended the 2008 season on a high note with his 22-of-26, 401-yard, five-touchdown performance in the win over Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl.

To have a real chance of being in the Heisman hunt, he must become the leader and Notre Dame will need a big day at Michigan, a home victory over Michigan State, and most importantly, a tremendous performance against USC on Oct. 17.

Last year, Clausen completed just 11-of-22 passes for 41 yards with two interceptions in the embarrassing loss to the Trojans.

In addition to making the early Heisman contender list, Clausen is the key to the immediate future of Notre Dame football and the job security of Charlie Weis.

Tim Tebow, QB, Florida

Tebow, by many accounts might be the odds on favorite to give his 2007 Heisman a 2009 twin, but he's not the only one who might accomplish that feat.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of Tebow's, but I'll give him his due. His stats over the past two seasons have been downright amazing and ridiculous. Maybe it's the system, but stats are stats.

With Florida's cupcake 2009 schedule, UF will almost undoubtedly go undefeated in the regular season and Tebow should once again be the media darling and put up more outrageous numbers.

I have no doubt in my mind, barring injury, that he will be in New York as a finalist, come December.

Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

Speaking of ridiculous stats, Bradford, the 2008 Heisman winner, set the bar extremely high for himself, as he threw for over 4,700 yards and 50 touchdowns to only eight interceptions, and rushed for five more scores while posting a QB Rating of nearly 181.

With Chris Brown and Demarco Murray, each 1000+ yard rushers a year ago, who combined for 34 touchdowns, both returning, and with the loss of top receiver Juaquin Iglesias and even with the surprising return of star tight end Jermaine Gresham, Bradford will be hard-pressed to duplicate the numbers he put up a year ago.

Then again, if he could get close to two-thirds of that production, he's a no-brainer to be invited to New York for a chance at his second Heisman.

As a Buckeye fan, it's hard to accept that both Tebow and Bradford could definitely win the 2009 Heisman because as of right now, there is only one two-time winner and I'd prefer it remain as such.

Archie Griffin won the Heisman while playing at Ohio State in 1974 and 1975 and even if Tebow or Bradford should win a second Heisman, Archie will always be the first to have done it, and I bet Archie can live with that, so I can too!

Five down, five to go—Part II coming soon—Stay tuned!

Michigan's Tate Forcier: Lofty Expectations Will Lead to Major Letdown

2009-04-14T10:47:00.002-04:00

Written by HD Handshoe
Founder—College Football Crack House
Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com

After a couple of weeks of practice and their Spring game, many out-of-touch fans of that school up North already believe that Robert "Tate" Forcier will lead them to a victory over Ohio State in 2009.

Never mind that they lost nine games in 2008, including a 42-7 beatdown at the hands of the Buckeyes.

Never mind that they still have no defense and are unproven at wide receiver and running back.

Never mind that Tressel is 7-1 and Dick-Rod isn't the savior they all believed he was and wanted him to be.

Sure, he built a decent program at West Virginia, but I mean, that's the Big East, where you play schools like UConn, Rutgers, Cincinnati, and Louisville, not the Big Ten where you deal with Wisconsin, Iowa, Penn State, and Ohio State.

Never mind that Forcier might not even be the starter in 2009.

Even if he is and he has a decent year, he can never live up to the hype and unrealistic expectations scUm fans (like Jordan from B/R) are placing on his shoulders.

I had better remind them once again, just for good measure:

UM lost nine games last year.

They're not going to win nine or 10 games this year.

Forcier looked OK, but remember, he was playing against his own weak defense so you be the judge.

Here are the video highlights from the 2009 UM Spring game—GO BUCKS!

Here's a friendly reminder to my scUm fan homeboys—LMFAO!

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Boise State Completes Second Scrimmage: Bronco Defense Rough And Ready

2009-04-10T03:24:00.007-04:00

Story written by Lace Banachek from BleacherReport.com

After the Broncos first scrimmage, the word was out that the Boise Broncos offense was shining, and the defense, according to some, had “issues.”

However, on this wet and cold Wednesday, the first team defense outplayed the first team offense, holding them to just 14 plays.

Indeed, the second scrimmage was completed just hours ago, and the defense showed no apparent weaknesses.

The secondary tandem of George Iloka and Brandyn Thompson continued pretty much where they left off last season—they were spectacular.

Iloka gave some pretty sound, Jeron Johnson-like hits, and Brandyn Thompson made the only interception of the scrimmage. Also, during kickoff drills, Kyle Wilson returned two to the endzone. Kyle was awesome!

Also, it was exciting watching No. 94 Byron Hout merely make his presence known. Him simply being there demands notice.

However, last year's scout defensive stud Michael Atkinson was spectacular as well.

The Canadian-bred Atkinson, better known for his tag “Canadian Bacon,” was a continued force to be reckoned with today.

Bacon got to Kellen for a sack and was key for a couple of turnovers —one of them was a fumble from Kellen Moore.

If any one says Kellen Moore did not have a good scrimmage, then Bacon, Hout, and Thompson no doubt ruined his day. Moore and his first team offense were held to zip. The first team “D” was just that good.

Linebacker Dan Paul looked very good out there as well. The first team “D” just got it done—there is no better way to put it.

First team offense looked good though (at times). DJ Harper was splendid. He scored on a 17-yard run, and also powered his way for 58 yards earlier. Kellen’s fumble at the one yard line put a blemish on that drive.

Drew was not able to do much better with the exception of his brilliant runs, and one of them went for a score. Drew passed very poorly today. Maybe it was the rain soaked balls?

These guys need to toughen up a tad—but just a tad. How many offensive units are going to survive the Bronco first team "D" if Kellen's team has a hard time of it? No, not even the Oregon Ducks.

For sure, Oregon will not like the defense any better this year than they did last year's. Also, by the fall there will be no teams on the schedule (or maybe off for that matter) capable of whooping this unit.

Furthermore, by the fall, this team will be way better offensively, and, yes fans, they will win all of their 13 games. We think they will win their 14th game too.

The Bronco quarterback depth is deep. The world knows what Kellen can do. Bush Hamden is no longer KM’s back up. Michael Coughlin is, and he is playing super.

Michael scored a touchdown in the first scrimmage, and, yes, once again this afternoon, as he hooked up with last year's red-shirt Josh Hill. Hill looked great out there.

With solid play from tight ends Gallarda, Efaw, and the 6’ 5" Hill, Richie Brockel will be a more active fullback from now on.

Once the offensive line gets fine tuned and the players get reformatted with all the coaches, the changes done to the Bronco football team is going to make them more than exciting.

Kellen Moore is still one of the best quarterbacks in the nation, and Bronco fans expect him to have a great year. Look for him to surpass his previous season's accolades.

This team plays their final spring scrimmage in nine days, on the 17th. Look for coach Pete to have ironed out some key wrinkles.

Until then—Go Broncos!

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The Top Ten Quarterbacks to Watch in 2009

2009-04-03T07:11:00.007-04:00

Written by HD Handshoe
Founder—College Football Crack House
Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com

The fortunes (or misfortunes for some) of many a team will depend on how well their key players step up and shoulder the load to help carry their team to success.

There is no position more crucial in this cause than that of the quarterback.

For some, it may a chance to win the Heisman trophy. For others, possibly a chance for redemption in a BCS bowl game or even the BCS title game or to earn a BCS bowl game invite and earn the title of "BCS Buster"!

Here are the top ten QB's to watch in 2009 that have the opportunity to make or break the 2009 season for their respective teams and provide all of us fans with quite a thrill ride along the way!

No. 10 - Robert Griffin - Baylor

Baylor isn't exactly on national TV week to week but, if you haven't at least heard of Robert Griffin, you must not pay attention to teams outside of your own because all Griffin did as a true freshman in 2008 was pass for 2,091 yards and 15 touchdowns to only 3 interceptions and ran for another 843 yards and 13 touchdowns, while posting a QB rating of 142.0 for the Bears!

Unfortunately, Griffins' incredible stats didn't translate into much as Baylor finished the year 4-8.

While those gaudy stats could prove hard to duplicate, I expect that Griffin will be able to put up similar numbers and with any help from his defense at all, the Bears could become bowl eligible in 2009.

I hope they do because it's a shame that most of the nation has never seen Griffin play, and without a bowl game for Baylor, it will probably remain that way.

No. 9 - Jimmy Clausen - Notre Dame

Charlie Weis is on the hottest seat in college football and if he is to keep his job at Notre Dame, Clausen must live up to the hype and meet, if not exceed, expectations this season.

Notre Dame crushed Hawaii 49-21 in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl and Clausen led the way with 401 yards and five touchdown passes. Weis can only pray that Clausen builds off of that performance and continues to play at that level or pretty near it this season.

2009 is do or die for the quarterback and the coach. If Clausen faulters, he might find a seat on the bench with highly-touted Dayne Christ waiting in the wings and Weis will most likely find himself out of a job if the Irish win less than nine or ten games.

No. 8 - Tyrod Taylor - Virginia Tech

Just about every year in recent memory, Virginia Tech has been hyped up and ranked in or near the top ten in the AP Preseason Poll. And just about every year in recent memory, they have been the poster child for why preseason polls make no sense.

According to ESPN's Mark Schlabach in his "Way Too Early Top 25" article, Va Tech is once again highly regarded, coming in at No. 5.

In 2008, Tech went 10-4, winning the ACC and beating Cincinnati 20-7 in the Fedex Orange Bowl in what many considered to be a foundation year for 2009.

They were one of the youngest teams in the nation a year ago. If Tyrod Taylor can improve in the passing game (1036 yards,2 TD, 7 INT), and with star tailback Darren Evans there to help take some of the pressure off of Taylor, the Hokies might actually deserve their preseason ranking and may even be contenders for the national championship.

No. 7 - Kellen Moore - Boise State

The Broncos have become a mainstay "mid-major" program that has been and will continue to be in the BCS bowl discussion this season. Last year, Boise finished the regular season with a perfect 12-0 record before being tripped-up by TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl.

Sophomore QB Kellen Moore has proven he is one of the country's best quarterbacks (3,486 yards, 25 TD, 9 INT, 157.1 QB Rating), but he'll be missing his top targets from a year ago. Tailback Ian Johnson and receivers Jeremy Childs and Vinny Perretta are big losses.

Moore will need to duplicate his 2008 season if Boise is to have any chance at another "BCS busting" undefeated season.

He and the Broncos will be tested early in 2009, opening the season with Oregon at home before road games at Tulsa and Fresno State.

No. 6 - Jevan Snead - Ole Miss

Snead could have been Matt Cassell 2.0, but instead he decided to transfer from Texas at the end of the 2006 season where he would have been Colt McCoy's backup to Ole Miss where instead, he is the man and the rest is history.

Only one team beat the eventual BCS Champion Florida Gators in 2008 and that team was, you guessed it, Ole Miss!

In that 31-30 thrilling road win that catapulted the Rebels into the top 25 and the national discussion, Snead threw for 185 yards and 2 touchdowns and ran for a third.

There were a couple of lows however, when Wake Forest, Vanderbilt and South Carolina each handed Mississippi three, somewhat unexpected losses.

The Rebels bounced back with a huge victory over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl to close the season and end the year on a positive note to build on!

Ole Miss has a favorable schedule in 2009 and Snead should be able to replicate his stats from a year ago (2,762 yards, 26 TD, 12 INT, 145.5 QB Rating) and lead the Rebels back to another successful season and a possible SEC Championship!

No. 5 - Terrelle Pryor - Ohio State

While Pryor didn't have the stats (1,311 passing yards, 631 rushing yards, 12 passing and 6 rushing TD, 4 INT, 146.5 QB Rating) that Robert Griffin or Kellen Moore did in 2008, he did have a solid season for the Buckeyes with an 8-2 record as a starter and let's face it—He is the QB of "THE" Ohio State Buckeyes and, not to belittle Baylor or Boise State but, the reality is that the expectations of him and pressure on him far exceed those of/on Griffin or Moore.

I believe the Buckeyes lost four starters on offense and five on defense and yet they are No. 7 in Schlabachs' rankings. The number one reason why they are ranked in his top ten is Terrelle Pryor, so you can see what I'm saying about the expectations and pressure placed upon him.

At times, Pryor made some amazing passes and at other times, some were just plain ridiculous and downright horrible. But remember, he was a true freshman and took the starting job away from Senior QB and team captain, Todd Boeckman. I can't begin to imagine the stress he must have felt.

Still, he persevered. His only losses as a starter in 2008 came to then No. 3 Penn State after an errant pass was picked off, which gave the Nittany Lions the ball late in the game, deep in OSU territory, leading to the games only touchdown and a PSU win.

In the Fiesta Bowl, Pryor caught a TD pass from Boeckman against then No. 3 Texas as the Buckeyes held a 21-17 lead with less than a minute to go in the game when McCoy found Quan Cosby on a quick slant as the Buckeyes were on an all out blitz and Texas went on to the 24-21 victory.

Pryor is rumored to have gained 10-15 pounds of muscle this off-season and the Buckeyes are promising to open up the offense more to suit his abilities. There's talk in Buckeye cyberspace that there will be more use of the Pistol formation and even the Single-Wing or Wildcat as it's now more commonly known.

He will be surrounded by speedy tailbacks Dan Herron, Jamaal Berry and powerback Carlos Hyde and a very deep corp of young but talented receivers led by senior Ray Small so these formations make sense and will keep defense guessing.

The biggest challenges of the season will be hosting USC in Columbus on 9/12/09 and traveling to Happy Valley to take on Penn State on 11/07/09.

If the Bucks can win those two games, there's really no other legit threat on their schedule or reason why Pryor shouldn't be able to lead them to an undefeated season and their fourth BCS title game appearance in the last eight years!

No. 4 - Zac Robinson - Oklahoma State

Robinson, WR Dez Bryant, and RB Kendall Hunter comprise the three-headed monster and potential nightmare for oponnents in the Big 12 this coming season.

Last season, Robinson threw for 3,064 yards and 25 touchdowns with only 10 interceptions and also ran for 508 yards and 7 scores so while he is more of a pocket passer, he certainly can scramble and make plays with his feet when needed.

With Bryant returning from off-season knee surgery, Hunter may be asked to carry more of the workload initially until Bryant proves he's back to 100% but if and when he is, Oklahoma State, 10th in Schlabachs' Preseason rankings, could be this years Texas Tech!

No. 3 - Tim Tebow - Florida

The Gators may be considered the No. 1 heading into 2009, but Tebow is not the No. 1 QB to watch but he's close coming in at third.

He's been on two championship teams and won the 2007 Heisman so what can "Superman" as Gator fans call him do for an encore?

We'll have to wait and see but if the Gators are going to make have any chance at a repeat title in 2009, the onus will be squarely on Tebows' shoulders.

Playmaker extraordinaire Percy Harvin defected early for the NFL Draft leaving Tebow (2,746 yards, 30 passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 673 rush yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, 172.4 QB Rating) and TE Aaron Hernandez as the only proven weapons on offense.

Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps and Emmanual Moody combined for over 1600 yards but individually, none of them had more than 650 yards, thus the jury is still out on which, if any can step up and help replace the loss of Harvin.

Florida has an exceptionally favorable schedule with only four road games, the toughest of which will be at LSU.

With a little help, Tebow should easily put up another great statistical season and if the Gators can avoid the upset bug, they may very well be on the road to a possible third title in four years.

No. 2 - Colt McCoy - Texas

The Longhorns felt slighted in 2008 after losing only to Texas Tech, on an almost fluke-like touchdown by Michael Crabtree, on the last play of game.

That one play cost the Horns a shot at Florida in the BCS title game, where instead, Oklahoma, who Texas had beaten 45-35 on a neutral field earlier in the year, got the nod and then proceeded to lose their fifth straight BCS bowl game.

If Colt McCoy has anything to say about it this year, that will not happen again!

McCoy's stats (3,859 passing yards, 34TD / 8 INT, 561 rushing yards, 11 rushing TD, 173.8 QB Rating) were impressive enough to earn him a 2nd place finish in the Heisman trophy voting.

With his roommate, receiver Jordan Shipley returning for a sixth season and without a standout running back in the mix, McCoy should once again put up great passing and rushing numbers and solidify his status as a Heisman contender and potential top NFL pick for 2010.

Now, can I have a drumroll please......(as if you don't already know who No. 1 is!)

No. 1 - Sam Bradford - Oklahoma

Bradford, the 2008 Heisman winner, looks to repeat the the unbelievable season and production he accomplished last year heading into 2009 but it won't be easy.

He set the bar extremely high for himself, as he threw for over 4,700 yards and 50 touchdowns to only 8 interceptions and rushed for 5 more scores while posting a ridiculous QB Rating of nearly 181.

Chris Brown and Demarco Murray, each 1000+ yard rushers a year ago who combined for 34 touchdowns, both return and with the loss of top receiver Juaquin Iglesias and even with the surprising return of star tight end Jermaine Gresham, Bradford will be hard-pressed to duplicate the numbers he put up a year ago.

OU should still be considered the team to beat in the Big 12 with Texas a close second.

That's it—That's the list!

If you agree or disagree with my list or you believe I overlooked a QB that you feel deserves to make the list over one of my ten, YOU'RE WRONG (just kidding) make sure you post a comment and tell me who and why!

Thanks in advance for reading, rating and adding your comments!

HD aka CFBC-CEO

I'm So Sick Of Hearing About Tim Tebow's "You'll Never See A Player..." Speech

2009-03-26T15:51:00.005-04:00

Written by HD Handshoe
Founder—College Football Crack House
Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com

To borrow a line from Around The Horn host Tony Reali, "So that happened!"

The University of Florida decided it was a good idea to create a wall memorial in tribute to Tim Tebow for his speech after the Florida home loss to Ole Miss last season.

I mean seriously—could this Tim Tebow love-fest get any more ridiculous?

I already know at least three things that people who disagree with me and have no problem with this are going to say...

1. You're just a jealous Ohio State "Suckeye" fan (Which most likely will include a 41-14 reference).

2. SEC SEC SEC SEC (The annoying conference piggy-backing chant those of us who actually pick one team instead of the entire conference have to hear most every Saturday whenever an SEC game is on TV).

3. He deserves it. He led the Gators to the title after he promised he wouldn't let them lose again! (Of course he did--look at the overrated "good" teams and doormats they played the rest of the season).

I'm sure he's a decent person, but nobody is ever as perfect as they are made out to be.

This kid has been crowned God of Florida and the sports media, specifically ESPN, have fanned the flames of this total nonsense.

In my humble opinion, a program taking this sort of action should reserve it for an all-time great a few years after they graduate.

If Florida wanted to do this, why not wait until 2011 or 2012?

Right now, if I am any of the other 21 starters from the Gator team from last season, I'm wondering where's my individual monument? Where's my individual tribute?

Yes, Tebow is the face of the Florida team, as generally a QB is, but he didn't win those eight games and eventual BCS Championship on his own.

The biggest issues I have with this is he's still in school, he's quite possibly the most over-hyped college football player of all-time, and he's getting all the individual accolades like's he 's the next coming.

All this for making a speech that really meant next to nothing without the support of the rest of his teammates. I reiterate, he didn't do it all alone post-speech!

He might not even have much of an NFL career, especially as a QB, so that should be a red flag that screams out most logical people (in addition to myself) outside of the biased media, the state of Florida, and Gator fans, aren't buying into this!

Whenever you talk about Tebow, don't forget to use two o's—he's good, but he's not God!

Not even in Florida...

Pac-10 Conference: Team by Team 2009 Preview

2009-03-26T12:22:00.004-04:00

Article originally written by David Hedlind on the BleacherReport.com

I don’t know everything there is to know about all the teams in the conference. Who they lose and how good the back ups were are all things I just have no clue about. Here is a look at the Pac-10 though, and I did my best to talk about as much as I could.

Arizona Wildcats

First order of business for the Wildcats is to find a replacement for QB Willie Tuitama. Tuitama has been the starter since midway through his freshman year. No matter who they get will be hard pressed to fill his shoes easily.

Making the task harder is the loss of WR Mike Thomas, the new Pac-10 leader in receptions. Making it easier is the return of TE Rob Gronkowski, who, after Thomas, was Arizona’s leading receiver.

Defense is looking good starting on the ends where Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore are back. The Two combined for 15 sacks last season.

The secondary is held down by Cam Nelson at safety and corner Devin Ross. The other corner will be open for competition in the spring while Robert Golden moves from corner to the other safety spot.

The schedule is a bit tougher than in 2008. The 2008 non-conference schedule was Idaho, Toledo and New Mexico. Iowa alone on the 2009 schedule makes it twice as hard. Central Michigan is there too which is a step up from Toledo in terms of MAC schools.

Arizona must travel to Oregon State, Cal, and USC, three of the top four projected teams for the conference.

I think another bowl would be a good season, but I don’t think it will be one of the top bowls.

Arizona State Sun Devils

Four-year starter quarterback Rudy Carpenter is gone. Senior Danny Sullivan has is the most experience but sophomore Samson Szakacsy, sophomore Chasen Stangel and freshman Brock Osweiler will all compete for the spot.

Who ever is throwing will have the advantage of Chris McGaha there to catch the ball.

At running back, senior Keegan Herring is also gone. He wasn’t the leading rusher in '08 anyway. Dimitri Nance led the team but I wouldn’t be surprised if he shares carries with Ryan Bass and Shaun DeWitty.

The offensive line only losses one so this could be a strength for the Sun Devils.

Another weapon for the Sun Devils is kicker Thomas Weber, the '07 Groza Award winner.

The defense only appears to be losing one player from each level, a defensive end, inside linebacker and a safety. The defense will be leaned on while the offense establishes itself.

The schedule only has five away games this season. The higher number of home games could help them get back to a bowl.

They travel to Georgia before entering Pac-10 play. Of the five Pac-10 bowl teams from 08, they only have to travel to Oregon.

California Golden Bears

Now that Nate Longshore is gone it seems only logical that Kevin Riley will be the quarterback. The two went back and forth until finally Longshore was in and Riley was benched.

Tailback Jahvid Best returns and many are calling him a dark horse for the Heisman. Best had two surgeries this offseason.

The main concern on defense will be the loss of the defensive end Rulon Davis, all the starting linebackers and safety Bernard Hicks.

Cal will take on two teams from other BCS conferences that both went to bowls in their non-conference schedule. They host Maryland to open the season then travel to Minnesota two weeks later.

Of the Pac-10 projected top teams, they only travel to Oregon, where they won the last time they played there.

The way the schedule sets up, Cal could be in the hunt for the Pac-10 title.

Oregon Ducks

With sudden news about head coach Mike Bellotti stepping down as head coach and moving to athletic director and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will become the head coach. This could throw a new wrinkle into the whole season.

Jeremiah Masoli separated himself from the rest of Oregon’s quarterbacks by the end of the season in '08. At this point I think everyone else is playing for the backup position. Among them are former starter Justin Roper, and Nate Costa, who was named starter but never played due to injury.

Behind Masoli should be 1,000-yard rusher LeGarrette Blount. I say should be because of some trouble he had this winter. Oregon tends to run with more than one back though. Highly touted redshirt freshman LaMichael James is possibly going to be that other back but Andre Crenshaw and Remene Alston will all see time.

Offensive line is the question most people have. The line loses four starters but they return four players with starting experience so I don’t see this being as big a problem as wide receiver.

The defense is also looking to fill in the line. Junior college players were brought in to fill the positions. Defensive end Nick Reed is gone. Reed led the Pac-10 in sacks two years in a row. The other end, Will Tukuafu was no slouch with 7.5 sacks in '08.

Oregon’s run defense was actually the strength of the D, so the linebackers returning should help hold that down.

That’s good because the pass defense was non existent and the loss of Patrick Chung and Jarius Byrd isn’t going to help that situation. TJ Ward and Walter Thurmond are back to help improve this part of the defense.

Oregon has a highly favorable schedule. That is after the season opener at Boise State. They draw Utah, Cal, USC, and rival Oregon State all at home in Eugene. The toughest road games appear to be Arizona and Stanford.

Oregon should make a bowl again and with a favorable home schedule could take a run at the Pac-10 title.

Oregon State Beavers

Oregon State has two senior quarterbacks with starting experience in Lyle Moevao and Sean Canfield.

Running back Jacquizz Rodgers and his brother, wide receiver James Rodgers, accounted for a mass amount of the offense last season. This was never more evident until the Civil War and the Sun Bowl when they did not play and the offense struggled.

The defense in '07 was one of the better defenses in the Pac-10 and they lost a lot of starters. People questioned if they would be successful on that side of the ball in '08.

I don’t think they matched what they did in '07, but the defense was still stout only giving up 30 point four times. Unfortunately all four were losses.

The defense again has quite a few holes to fill. If the past is an indication of what they are capable of, I wouldn’t be to worried.

Oregon State tends to start slow and finish well. They have also had trouble when they have gone east. Good news is they don’t have to go east this season and the early schedule doesn’t look overly challenging.

Cincinnati is coming to Corvallis and they did win the Big East last season, but Oregon State is usually better at home. This is especially true with USC. Oregon State has beat the Trojans the last two times they have played at home but lost down in LA.

The Civil War with Oregon was a home team’s dream for over 10 years but the last two have been wins for the visiting team. This year’s game is at Oregon.

Oregon State hopes to make another run at the Rose Bowl and the Pac-10 title. With trips to USC, Cal, and Oregon I am not sure if this is the season for it.

USC Trojans

I think I am going to keep this quick and simple.

USC is known for simply reloading and they should do so again.

Quarterbacks Mitch Mustain, Aaron Corp, Garrett Green, and incoming freshman Matt Barkley will battle for the vacated spot left by Mark Sanchez.

The run game was by committee, I don’t expect that to change.

The defense was among the best in the nation and takes a hit losing a lot of starters. Like I said before though, they reload time and time again. Don’t be surprised if they are stacked again.

USC is tough at home or on the road. Everyone is looking forward to the early trip to Ohio State. They also play at Cal and Oregon, two of the teams most believe will challenge for the Pac-10 title.

Three tough games that everyone expects. The problem for the Trojans is that most of the games they have lost the last few years, no one saw coming.

Stanford Cardinal

Head coach Jim Harbaugh has improved Stanford each of his two seasons. The next step is getting to a bowl.

Having starting quarterback Tavita Pritchard and running back Toby Gerhart returning is a great start.

The offensive line has to replace two including the center Alex Fletcher, who received second team all Pac-10 honors.

From what I know, Stanford is only losing a couple players from the defense. The defense didn’t have a lot of stars on it but did have a couple of players make the Pac-10 honorable mention. They are back for next season.

The Cardinal were one win short of making a bowl in '08. Three of the losses were by seven or less and all three of those were on the road.

Actually all but one loss, USC, was on the road. If they can convert just one of those losses to a win they could be bowling again for the first time in nine years.

UCLA Bruins

Last season, UCLA went into the season with a bunch of injuries hanging over the quarterback position. I would guess the job is Kevin Craft’s to lose at this point.

The passing game should be a strong point since the top five receivers are back. Having an experienced line, losing only one, will help give Craft time to throw. Kai Forbath is back and is one of the conferences best kickers.

The defense is returning a majority of its players. There will be a new defensive coordinator this season and I don’t know what kind of scheme they will be using.

Honestly I don’t remember hearing much about the defense last season, so I don’t know much about it for next season.

UCLA pulled off the upset of Tennessee last season at home. For the 2009 season UCLA will have to try and do it again on the road. They draw Oregon at home followed by trips to Arizona and Oregon State in consecutive weekends. Those were four of the five bowl teams from '08.

Then, of course, there is that season closer with at USC.

I think UCLA would be cutting it close to make it to a bowl in '09.

Washington Huskies

New coach Steve Sarkisian's inherit’s a team that went 0-12 in '08. He has managed to get the players, boosters, and alumni excited about University of Washington football again.

Quarterback Jake Locker has pretty much carried the team since he came in as a freshman. The switch to a pro style will be interesting to see.

The skill positions weren’t much to talk about, but I will say keep an eye on Terrance Daily and Chris Polk.

The offensive line will be rebuilding and filling in the center position for Juan Garcia will be the biggest hole to try and fill.

I can really only point out one bright spot on each level of the defense.

On the defensive line it is Daniel Teo'nesheim. He was the teams sack leader in '08.

The linebackers return EJ Savannah. He had a great 2007 season but then missed '08 for various reasons. Time will tell if this was a good move or not.

The secondary has been less than stellar but did have safety, Nate Williams earn Pac-10 honorable mention honors.

The Huskies continue to schedule some of the toughest competition but at least they put on a game that should give them a win this season too. They are opening at home with LSU followed by Idaho.

They get USC, Oregon, and Cal at home but I don’t know if home field will really be an advantage.

I would be surprised if Washington got more than four wins.

Washington State Cougars

The quarterback battle was down to Kevin Lopina and Marshall Lobbestael, but Lobbestael's recent arrest for being drunk in public and suspension from the team changes things.

Washington State was among the worst in the nation in offense last season. They are still trying to rebuild under second year head coach Paul Wulff.

The good news is leading rusher Dwight Tardy is back. The bad news it leading receiver Brandon Gibson is not.

The defense wasn’t much better than the offense and also rated among the worst in the nation.

I am not sure they lose a lot and if that is a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand you have experience coming back. On the other hand, is that a good thing when the defense wasn’t that good?

Hawaii and SMU are on the schedule, both for home dates. I would have to think these games are manageable. They play '08’s top four Pac-10 teams in a five week span which includes trips to USC and Oregon in back-to-back weekends.

I would think they will at least match their two wins from '08, but I still don’t see a bowl for the Cougars.

2009 West Virginia Mountaineers -- Will Bill Stewart Keep the Program on Track?

2009-03-11T10:44:00.018-04:00

Trinity Hanson
WVU correspondent

When Rich Rodriguez abruptly abandoned WVU in December of 2007, he left a relatively intact program.

Patrick White, perhaps the countries most prolific QB of our time was still at the helm and even with the departure of Steve Slayton and Darius Reynaud, fans were confident that Bill Stewart could continue the winning tradition that Rich Rod had just began to enjoy.

The season didn't go quite as planned and Mountaineer fans had to settle for a Meineke Car Care bowl victory over UNC.

The 2009-10 season, the first without Pat White, will be head Coach Bill Stewart's true test under fire season.

The class of 2009 and its' importance to WVU cannot be overstated.

On Feb 4 2009, WVU signed 24 prospects to National Letters of Intent. This is a make or break class for Bill Stewart. On paper, this is WVU's best recruiting class in school history. Scout.com ranked this class 23rd nationally. In the last seven years, Scouts.com had ranked WVU from the 53rd in 2004, 18th in 2007 and 36th in 2008.

The class of 2007 (which was ranked 18th by Scouts.com) started with 26 signees but is already down 15 due to attrition.

This 2009 group has to live up to expectations and remain intact. If it can do that, Stewart's program will become successful. If this class fails, the Bill Stewart era will be short lived.

Key staff hires of the Bill Stewart era such as recruiting guru Doc Holliday are proving to be perfect matches for the new face of a beloved program.

Signing five offensive line players was crucial and Holliday is pleased with all of the recruits coming in. Geno Smith is going to become a well recognized name in the Big East along with Coley White, Bradley Starks and Jarrett Brown.

Running back recruits such as Shawne Alston, Daquan Hargett and fullback Chris Snook, along with receivers Deon Long, Tavin Austin, Stedman Bailey, Logan Heastie and Terrance Moore will be key to offense success.

Defensively, Tevita Finau, Dominik Davenport and Curtis Feigt will strengthen what was already a strong defensive line in 2008.

The 2009-10 will be the first full recruiting class for Coach Bill Stewart.

Lets hope it is as good on the field as it looks on paper.

The players are in camp, we're getting ready for Saturday afternoon tailgating, and our minds are turning to online betting!

That's right. It's time to put your money where your mouth is, and maybe win a little cash.

Let's hope it is as good on the field as it looks on paper!

Doesn't that make you want to bet online?

Georgia Football '09: Dawgs To Be Excited About

2009-03-08T11:10:00.004-04:00

Article originally written by John McCurdy on the BleacherReport.com

Star quarterback, running back, and cornerback all defecting for the NFL? Questions abound concerning your young offensive line? Coordinators' choices second-guessed after tough losses?

If you're perennial SEC powerhouse Georgia, these things don't concern you, hope is already here. They play well each year, so they recruit well each year, so they play well again the next year. Success is self-perpetuating in college sports.

As such, the roster is still stacked, despite certain departures, and it only got better on signing day. Without further ado, I'll cough up the names of those Dawgs who'll step into the spotlight this year:

C Ben Jones

Considering he was forced into a starting role as a frosh last season because of injuries to other offensive linemen, we've already seen a decent amount of this rock. So we know he's difficult to move and technically sound.

What we may not yet know is how great of a leader this kid can be. The experience he gained last season snapping the ball to a seasoned Matt Stafford is invaluable, and with the O-line still devoid of seniors, he can be just as much the brains of the operation as anyone.

He's the anchor in the middle. Look for him to solidify the line even more in '09 and hopefully help the big fellas tone down the penalties.

FB Fred Munzenmaier

This redshirt sophomore has a whole two rushing attempts to his name, but now that the steam engine that was Brannan Southerland has graduated, he'll see plenty of burn as he spells Shaun Chapas.

He's not quite as big as Southerland, but Munzenmaier still measures an impressive 6'2", 232 lbs. And the really good news is that his hands might be even better than his predecessors. Having played some quarterback in high school, he definitely has a feel for the pigskin.

Southerland was used in short-yardage situations and was adept at picking up three or four on the ground and at snatching a lob over the top for a score. Munzenmaier can do both of these things as well, and will quickly learn to block as he practices against his defensive teammates. The Dawgs won't skip a beat at the fullback spot.

WR Marlon Brown

In case you haven't read my piece on this freshly inked Dawg, I'll sum it up for you right here: I love him. A better complement for freak wideout A.J. Green, Brown will compose half of the most dreaded receiving duo in the SEC.

I made the Julio Jones comparison before, so I won't simply regurgitate here, but it does make a lot of sense. Marlon comes down with balls he absolutely should not come down with, and he makes the impossible possible with scary athleticism and ridiculously strong hands.

Kris Durham and Mike Moore are both ahead of him on the depth chart, and probably should be, but don't be surprised at all if Marlon is involved in nearly every three-wide set from the start of the season.

OT Austin Long

One barely need look past his vitals of 6'6", 270 lbs. Just those little numbers next to his name on the roster are imposing.

Long is known as an ultra-aggressive lineman, a vicious mauler who breaks through to the second level with little hesitation and, several times in his high school career, left gigantic defensive linemen on their backs in his wake.

Whether or not his style fits with a penalty-prone O-line, Long provides a massive (yet skilled) body to a position that suffered severe attrition last season. And as I already told you, he's got dudes to learn from (see Jones above) in his area.

QB Joe Cox

You didn't think I'd leave the most important position out the discussion, now did you?

So many are worried about drop off at the quarterback position, but if there's one thing for sure with Cox, it's that he's going to keep things steady. He has proven, even in his limited playing time, that he handles pressure remarkably well (perhaps better than Stafford) and rises to the occasion. Anyone recall the Colorado game of 2006?

No, Joe does not have the pure quarterback skills that Matt does. He will not be a first-round pick in the NFL in a year. He isn't an elusive, double threat like Logan Gray. And he does not have the upside of signee Aaron Murray.

But he does have a cool head, a strong arm, and the sort of demeanor one wants in their quarterback. With Joe, it's going to be less of a roller coaster (with all the highs and lows of Stafford's play) and more of a solid, smooth ride in a Cadillac.

There's a reason Georgia is such a heavily followed team. It's the same reason the Bulldogs garner such attention and anticipation every off-season. The studs just keep coming.

2009 Way Too Early Preseason Top 10 (Updated)

2009-03-04T05:16:00.008-05:00

Here are the College Football Crackhouse "WAY TOO EARLY" Top 10 teams heading into the 2009 College Football season in reverse order.

#10 GEORGIA

#9 PENN STATE

#8 OREGON

#7 VIRGINIA TECH

#6 ALABAMA

#5 OHIO STATE

#4 USC

#3 OKLAHOMA

#2 TEXAS

#1 FLORIDA

The floor is now open for debate...

You can post your own top 10, or even your top 25 or just agree or disagree with mine and tell me why!

I definitely want to know what you think so please post your thoughts!

You can always get your fix here at the:

COLLEGE FOOTBALL CRACKHOUSE

Is Ole Miss a Victim of Its Own Success?

2009-03-04T04:54:00.002-05:00

Story written by Tim Richards from BleacherReport.com

The Ole Miss Rebels; Yes the Rebels, could be a victim of their own success.

It is a little over five months until the 2009 college football season begins, and they still don't have an opponent for their Sept. 12 home game.

Now I understand the politics involved in scheduling non-conference opponents. Some teams want a home and home. Some require a big payday.

But in the past, mid-majors, like the MAC, Conference USA, WAC, and so on, would be champing at the bit for a chance to take out an SEC school.

Now, after a 9-4 season which included beating the national champ to be Florida Gators and a convincing win in the Cotton Bowl over the big 12 power Texas Tech, the Rebs are having a hard time even buying an opponent.

They thought it was a lock with TCU just to have them back out to play Clemson, a rebuilding ACC team. For bowl eligibility reasons, you can only schedule one FCS school and they already have that.

You really don't want another BCS power house to start your year off when you know you have to play the SEC schedule. So what does that leave you? A bunch of mid-majors.

Now don't get me wrong, mid majors are no longer teams you can just run over. A prime example is the way Utah destroyed Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. On the other side of the equation is the fact that mid majors don't want to start their year off with a loss.

They know they have to go undefeated to get a chance at the BCS. I mean the Rebels are pretty hot right now. So I ask you, would Ole Miss still be having this problem if they had went 4-8?

Probably not, but I bet you can ask any Rebel fan if they mind. I bet they would take the year they had last year any day of the week. I guess sometimes being a victim really isn't that bad after all.

The Va Tech Hokies' Have High Expections For 2009

2009-03-03T20:38:00.003-05:00

Story written by David Phillips from BleacherReport.com

The Virginia Tech Hokies should be between No. 7 and No. 10 in the nation for the college football preseason rankings. Tyrod Taylor is 13-2 as a starter and only Michael Vick has a better record as a starter under Coach Frank Beamer.

With the solid defense and special teams and with Taylor, Ryan Williams, and Derren Evans on offense, the Hokies should be able to contend for there third straight ACC title, and we could be talking BSC title game if the stars align and we run the table in the ACC and last year proved that you could drop a game early in the season but not later.

With Taylor you have a guy who can make plays when other plays breakdown but he also had to many sacks last season this will also be Taylors first season as the solo starting quarterback.

We could be seeing the next "Untouchables" in Williams and Evans and Tech can get back to the option and a lot of wins. I predicted Tech to go 11-2 in a story earlier; only time will tell, but there are big expectations for the Hokies.

Bud Foster always has his defense ready, so, even after losing Macho Harris and Brett Warren to the NFL Draft, he should still have a solid defensive game.

Mistakes and misfortune were last year's downfalls.

The Hokies should be able to rebound well and have a great season.

Boise State Football: There Is No Life Beyond Bronco Nation

2009-03-03T20:25:00.005-05:00

Story written by Lace Banachek from BleacherReport.com

Certainly, the Big Sky, has wept and bid farewell, and pondered many times, these past eight years, why? Frankly there was and still is no simple answer.

The Boise State Broncos have that look about them, a bunch of two and three star athletes from Potato Junction, Idaho and certainly they should not mount that much game?

Then, Fresno State and the WAC opened up their doors in 2001 to the former Big Sky champs and by 2002 and constantly there after, the Broncos have dominated their conference.

That’s right, Fresno State's conference it is no more. It is Boise States conference. All of the WAC belongs to BSU, and Boise State loves them dearly, and is in no hurry to leave.

The Bronco fans and haters question is “who’s gonna fill them shoes, who’s gonna walk that tall?” Goodbye Z, Vinny, and Ian, and a list to long to unveil.

The Broncos are looking solid again, all the way past the bench and to the red shirts of 2010. Indeed, Boise State superiority is eminent. BSU no longer rebuilds (as in former times), they merely reload.

It gets amusing the BSU fan base stresses over playing Ball State in the Humanitarian or jumping to the Mountain West Conference. Oh yes, the MW had some good years, but they do not want Boise State to join.

Even though and according to sources, the Mountain West were the ones that wanted the Broncos to begin with. Then they changed their mind. Well who can blame them? It’s tough battling for second.

Albeit, the Mountain West is not where the Broncos belong anyway. Who said the WAC was a lesser conference? The only thing wrong with the rest of the “WAC PAC” is they just don’t want it bad enough. Want what? Second place!

Well, the Pack is doing things to rectify the problem. This year's recruiting was great. Boise’s was better, but the WAC PAC did well.

Especially, Utah State, them Aggies in two years (maybe three) are going to be a pretty decent team (Just as soon as the unrelated Manning comes back from his Mormon mission, that is).

But Bronco Nation is gracious, they do not want the new Manning on the block to get abducted by aliens or swallowed by gators (no pun intended). Do they?

However, whether its Borel or later to be Manning and the Aggies, or Fresno State, Hawaii, or the pistol running wolf pack of Reno etc, the battle is still for second place.

But “Katy bar the door” for all of the rest of those conferences (BCS or not) who are about to play the WAC, the joking is over.

Still, Boise State will continue to dominate until they leave for BCS placing in some conference to be mentioned later.

Then the WAC PAC will weep and bid farewell and within a couple of years ponder the former situation and ask themselves why?

SEC-Owned ESPN vs. Ohio State: The "Style Points" Double Standard

2009-03-03T07:44:00.007-05:00

Written by HD Handshoe
Founder—College Football Crack House
Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com

I just had to post this in the article after last nights game:

I bet Andre Ware (former QB for Houston) was bragging them up but shouldn't he instead have been ripping them for not taking a knee (as he did the Buckeyes) - game's over - right Andre???

A fake punt with nearly nine minutes left in the Northwestern game, followed by an ensuing 34-yard touchdown pass the very next play and a late touchdown gallop by backup running back Boom Herron with only seconds left in the game, have resonated in a surprising and somewhat confusing backlash for the Ohio State Buckeyes over the last few days.

vs.

Andre Ware ripped the Buckeyes the second Tressel called for the fake punt. He said Ohio State should have punted since, in his opinion, the game was not in doubt. His partner in the booth suggested the Buckeyes were trying to keep possession and kill the clock.

At the time, OSU held a 31-10 lead—comfortable, perhaps, but surely not insurmountable. The next play, Terrelle Pryor threw a touchdown pass. Ware's reaction? "Are they still trying to run out the clock now?"

This is the same Andre Ware who led his Houston team of the late 1980s and early 1990s to some of the most lopsided victories in college football history.

Here are a few examples (thanks to Baby Tate for providing these scores!).

Houston 69 UNLV 0
Houston 65 Temple 7
Houston 66 Baylor 10
Houston 55 TCU 10
Houston 47 Texas 9
Houston 64 Rice 0
Houston 95 SMU 21

Please remind me again, Andre: How exactly do you of all people classify 45-10 as "running it up"?

Ware is employed by the same network (ESPN) that posted the following headlines on their college football homepage a few weeks back.

"Buckeyes edge Purdue 16-3" and "Georgia rolls over Tennessee 26-14."

Unless I'm crazy, it sure seems like Ohio State was being slighted for ONLY beating (2-3) Purdue by 13 points with a freshman QB still learning the ropes I might add, but Georgia was being praised for a 12-point victory over a Tennessee team that was also (2-3) at that time and had been waxed by UCLA, who themselves, had been waxed by BYU.

In addition, ESPN Page 2 writer Tim Keown wrote a critical article about the Buckeyes' "garbage-time scoring," and that is the main reason I am now writing this article.

You can read his original story by clicking here, and then you'll know why I'm so fired up!

In the Buckeyes' victory over greatly improved Minnesota, Ohio State was leading 34-6 when they took their foot off the gas, so to speak, and replaced the starters. The final score of the game ended up 34-21.

The poll voters responded by moving the Bucks up from No. 12 to No. 11 while moving up teams like Florida, USC, and Georgia up at least three slots each after they ran up the score in their games that same week.

After losing to unranked Ole Miss in Week Four, Florida dropped to No. 13. Since then, they have won five straight games, all in blowout fashion, and are now ranked third. While LSU and Georgia were both ranked in the top 25, both also were obviously overrated because of the SEC love-fest ESPN has created.

The headlines when Florida, USC, or Texas Tech scores 50+ points usually include the words dominating performance or blowout. These teams have received high praise for their high-powered offense and have made no apologies, nor been asked to, for scoring and scoring often.

So why now are the Buckeyes being criticized for scoring two touchdowns in the last nine minutes in a 45-10 win?

Where's the praise for them? Northwestern (7-3) was ranked No. 24, and they do have a decent team, so why do other teams get put on a pedestal while Ohio State gets the red-headed step-child treatment?

Did anyone else notice that No. 13 Georgia struggled to a four-point win over unranked Kentucky while No. 12 Ohio State thumped No. 24 Northwestern by five scores, yet when the new polls were released, Georgia jumped ahead of the Buckeyes to No. 10 and Ohio State barely moved up to No. 11?

Someone...

Anyone...

Please explain that to me!

That really gets me worked up. It won't matter in terms of a possible BCS Bowl bid since only two teams max can be invited from any one conference, but it's just the whole principle of how Ohio State is disrespected by the media as a whole, even when they win convincingly.

But I now digress.

If you know anything about Jim Tressel, you know he doesn't run up the score. He's a class guy, win or lose.

Just last year in Ohio State's 14-3 win over hated archrival Michigan, Tressel had the offense take a knee inside the Michigan five-yard line with just a few seconds remaining.

Woody Hayes rolled over in his grave, but that's the difference between Hayes and Tressel, and quite honestly the one reason some have been critical of Tressel. He lacks the killer instinct and utter disdain for the opposition (especially The School Up North, or TSUN as Woody called them) that Hayes had.

Tressel even winced as if he were passing a large kidney stone when Herron broke no less than five tackles on his way to the end zone as the clock ran down.

You can't blame a backup RB for wanting to score and giving it his all either. Every single person reading this would have done the exact same thing if they could have.

Isn't a game 60 minutes long and not 50 or 58?

Aren't fans that sometimes pay ridiculous ticket prices deserving of seeing football for an entire 60 minutes?

Sure, Tressel could have just had 3rd-string QB Joe Bauserman take a knee, but Northwestern should have tackled the guy, period. The touchdown was a fluke, and I know Tressel felt bad about it, but since when did this become the official sport of the "Mercy Rule" anyway?

The bottom line here is that, unfortunately, style points weigh freshly on the voters' minds each week, and whether or not Ohio State intentionally "ran up the score" on the Wildcats, it's the nature of the beast. Like the old cliché says:

"If you don't like it, stop them!"

And to ESPN:

If it's OK for USC and Florida, etc., it's OK for everyone!

When in Rome...

Please add your comments!

This story was also previously featured on www.BlockONation.com

Former OSU QB Kirk Herbstreit is sadly the ESPN ringleader of slurping the SEC...just watch!

Sneak Peek at Ohio State 2010 Recruiting

2009-02-17T12:46:00.006-05:00

In 2008, Ohio State reeled in a top three, and arguably the No. 1 recruiting class, headlined of course by QB Terrelle Pryor.

In 2009, the Buckeyes did it again with the No. 1 overall class in the nation, headlined by a trio of 5-star recruits in RB Jamaal Berry, LB Dorian Bell, and DE Melvin Fellows.

It's never to early to look ahead in terms of recruiting, and while the 2010 class may be smaller in the total number of recruits, it could certainly come in just as highly touted.

So far, Ohio State has received verbal commitments from 5-star OT Andrew Norwell, and 4-star prospects DE Jamel Turner and OLB J.T. Moore.

Obviously, all schools initially recruit more players than they can actually bring into their programs. Not every kid the Bucks are recruiting right now will end up at Ohio State, but many of them will, so I'm going to highlight several players who are high on the Buckeye wish-list!

1. QB Nick Montana - Top target unofficial visit scheduled this month

2. 4-star QB Devin Gardner - Plan B should Montana commit elsewhere

3. S Luke Muncie - 6'3'', 210 lbs., 4.5 40-yard dash

4. LB Jordan Hicks - 6'2'', 210 lbs., 4.55 40-yard dash

5. 4-star RB Corey Brown - 6'0'', 170 lbs., 4.45 40-yard dash

6. LB Khairi Fortt - 6'2'', 215 lbs., 4.55 40-yard dash

7. 4-star WR Tai-ler Jones - 6'0'', 175 lbs., 4.45 40-yard dash

8. CB Lamarcus Joyner - 5'8'', 165 lbs., 4.55 40-yard dash

9. LB Scott McVey - 5'11'', 215 lbs., 4.5 40-yard dash

10. 5-star OT Seantrel Henderson - 6'8'', 300 lbs., top OT in 2010 class

11. OT Matt James - 6'8'', 280 lbs., 5.2 40-yard dash

12. ATH Spencer Ware - 5'11'', 200 lbs., 4.5 40-yard dash

13. S Marvin Robinson - 6'1'', 200 lbs., 4.6 40-yard dash

14. DE Darryl Baldwin - 6'6'', 240 lbs., considered top DE from Ohio

15. DT Jay Guy - 6'2'', 300 lbs. considered top DT prospect from Texas

16. DE/TE William Gholston - 6'7'', 235 lbs. cousin of former Buckeye Vernon

(Note: Not all recruits in the 2010 class have been star rated as of 2/17/2009)

As you can see, the Buckeyes are doing their due diligence in their efforts to continue to build on their top recruiting classes of recent years.

As the 2010 recruiting cloud begins to come into greater focus (over the next six to 12 months), my series will continue and attempt to keep you updated, so watch for future articles!

Thanks for reading and as always, please comment!

CFBC-CEO

2009 Way Too Early Preseason Top 10 - 2/09/2009

2009-02-09T12:00:00.006-05:00

Here are the College Football Crackhouse "WAY TOO EARLY" Top 10 teams heading into the 2009 College Football season in reverse order.

#10 OREGON

#9 VIRGINIA TECH

#8 GEORGIA

#7 PENN STATE

#6 ALABAMA

#5 OHIO STATE

#4 OKLAHOMA

#3 USC

#2 TEXAS

#1 FLORIDA

The floor is now open for debate...

You can post your own top 10, or even your top 25 or just agree or disagree with mine and tell me why!

I definitely want to know what you think so please post your thoughts!

You can always get your fix here at the:

COLLEGE FOOTBALL CRACKHOUSE

Did Ohio State Regain Any Respect With Their Fiesta Bowl Performance?

2009-01-11T11:47:00.003-05:00

Written by HD Handshoe
Founder—College Football Crack House
Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com

Ohio State has a rich, storied football history and tradition, but recently, you almost wouldn't know it.

While the Buckeyes have won no less than 10 games in each of the last four seasons (43-8 overall) and just played in their fourth straight BCS Bowl game, they've come up short against several of the nation's best teams in the last two BCS Championship games, as well as the so-called "Game of the Year" this season—losing convincingly 35-3 to USC.

Many have speculated as to why the Buckeyes appear to not be able to win big games on the national stage.

Is it poor game-planning?

Perhaps just a case of bad play calling?

Does Ohio State—and the Big Ten as a whole, for that matter—truly lack the team speed of the SEC or Big 12?

The exact reason why the Buckeyes are not winning these games is debatable, but what seems to be the overwhelming sentiment is that they aren't winning them—and that means they're overrated and undeserving.

Even many spoiled Buckeye fans share this stance.

I've got news for those folks...

No team can play and win every game they ever play in, especially when it's against the caliber of the opponents Ohio State has faced.

The Buckeyes' last eight losses have been to eight teams all ranked in the Top 15, and in all but two of those losses, Ohio State was the underdog, while their opponent was then ranked No. 1, No. 2, or No. 3.

Here we are again.

In this year's Fiesta Bowl meeting, No. 10 Ohio State faced the No. 3 Texas Longhorns for the third time in four seasons. They split the first two meetings as Vince Young led the Longhorns to a 25-22 victory in Columbus in 2005. The following season, the Buckeyes beat Colt McCoy and No. 2 Texas 24-7 in Austin with unrelenting defense and in-your-face defensive pressure all game long.

As this year's BCS rematch neared, the default projection seems to be that No. 3 Texas, like every previous top three team Ohio State has faced, would win and win convincingly.

The Bucks have been seeking redemption since the 41-14 "massacre" in the BCS Title Game versus Florida.

They still have not completely found it yet, but with their gritty, hard-nosed performance on Jan. 5, they undeniably acquired some respect and restored at least of bit of their previously missing program luster.

Texas beat the Oklahoma Sooners by 10 points in the Red River Shootout, and yet Oklahoma, not Texas, is playing in the 2008 BCS Championship Game. Nobody called this game a blowout either, but when Ohio State lost as an underdog to LSU in the 2007 title game by 14, everyone called that a blowout. But why?

I'll stray from that topic, however, before I go off on a long and winding rant that may cause a serious carpal tunnel flare-up for myself and eye strain for my readers.

There is certainly a legitimate argument to be made that Texas could have been the No. 1 or No. 2 team and playing in the title game.

All things considered, in my opinion, Ohio State has earned back some respect by playing great defense and containing that explosive Texas offense.

Ohio State outplayed Texas the majority of the game, and took a 21-17 lead with 2:05 remaining in the 4th quarter.

On the ensuing drive, the Buckeye "D" dropped a game-clinching interception and then appeared to hold on 4th down and 3 but Texas converted by the skin of their teeth with under 40 seconds left.

Two plays later, Quan Cosby caught a quick slant pass over the middle and got behind the Buckeye defense and ran in the game winner with 16 seconds on the clock.

What a heart-breaker for the Buckeyes and their fans. Of course, they would prefer to see the team they were born to love win this game, but being objective and realistic, they weren't expected to do much, and no one gave them a snowball's chance in Hell.

Ohio State should and better receive their due credit for far exceeding expectations and for nearly winning this game.

In any college football game played, both teams obviously can't win.

Heck, in college they can't even get half of a win. (Even Donovan McNabb knows that!)

But they can put on a show and be competitive. They may have lost, but it was extremely close, that's all anyone can ask for.

Show up, play hard, and leave it all on the field, and no matter what, this guy right here typing on your behalf and the millions of other true Buckeye fans worldwide will always love you and cheer you on; win or lose!

So, did Ohio State regain any respect without beating Texas with their Fiesta Bowl performance?

ABSOLUTELY!

Thanks for reading and please add your own comment(s)!
CFBC-CEO

The College Football Season That Was...

2009-01-10T09:58:00.002-05:00

The 2008-2009 College Football Season has come and gone far too quickly.

The Florida Gators won their second BCS title in three seasons, beating the Oklahoma Sooners 24-14, in what is now the Sooners 5th straight BCS bowl game loss.

While Florida lived up to the expectations placed upon them, many teams, such as Georgia, Auburn, Clemson, Wisconsin and Ohio State among others had disappointing seasons.

Others, such as Boise State, TCU and Utah surprised the nation.

Utah especially, having went 13-0 and having beat former #1 ranked Alabama in the Sugar Bowl more convincingly than Florida did in the SEC Championship game, garnered a #2 ranking in the final AP poll, their highest final poll ranking ever!

One thing is for certain. The season went too fast as it always does. Hopefully, we can form an online support group here at the College Football Crackhouse and help each other through until the 2009 season begins.

Sadly, that's about eight months away -

There's always Spring football to help bridge the gap and at least temporarily ease the pain...

Thanks for reading and please post your own comments.

Also, please spread the word about this blog to other college football fans like you and I so that we may all help one another until our next fix!

CFBC-CEO